UAE, Seychelles aim to transform government services for citizens |05 March 2024
Deputy Minister Lootah speaking to the local media yesterday
By Laura Pillay
In a bid to streamline government services and enhance citizen experience, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government, through the UAE's Government Experience Exchange Programme, proposed that the Seychelles government establish a frontliner service centre.
Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange of the UAE, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, unveiled the proposal during his official visit to Seychelles yesterday.
The proposed initiative aims to establish a frontliner service centre dedicated to delivering government services promptly and efficiently to Seychellois citizens.
“What do citizens want? They want great services, in the least time possible, with the least procedures, at the least cost possible. These are the three minimum expectations. And this is what we are trying to do,” Deputy Minister Lootah stated, emphasising the convenience factor.
The proposed frontliner service centre represents a significant step towards enhancing citizen-centric governance and fostering closer ties between the UAE and Seychelles, he added.
The initiative is part of a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries on March 29, 2022, with the objective of enhancing institutional capacities, government practices, and governance standards.
Speaking to the local media yesterday at the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort and Spa, Deputy Minister Lootah stressed the importance of periodic checkpoints to ensure the successful implementation of the MoU commitments.
He highlighted one of the MoU's achievements, the Executive Leadership programme, which saw 26 principal secretaries and chief executive officers completing a training programme aimed at enhancing leadership skills.
During his visit, Deputy Minister Lootah aims to engage with programme graduates to gather feedback and tailor future executive leadership programmes to meet Seychelles' specific requirements.
He also expressed the UAE government's commitment to aligning future programmes with Seychelles' vision and priorities.
The MoU, initially signed by Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry Devika Vidot and Minister for Cabinet Affairs of the UAE Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, aims for renewal at the 2025 World Government Summit.
Deputy Minister Lootah emphasised that the success of the programme would be measured by Seychelles’ decision to renew the MoU, ideally for six years.
Furthermore, Deputy Minister Lootah highlighted the Government Experience Exchange Programme’s alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 17, which focuses on revitalising global partnerships for sustainable development. The knowledge-sharing platform launched in 2018 to transfer the UAE's government development and modernisation practices to other countries.
In addition to enhancing government services, the cooperation between the UAE and Seychelles extends to participation in the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Deputy Minister Lootah commended the exemplary cooperation between the two countries, proposing it as a model for other states to aspire to.
“This country has a great vision and great strategic objectives. And if the UAE Government Experience Exchange Programme (which we lead) can contribute, even if it's a tiny 5 percent, we will be super proud,” he said.